Combined truck and tractor



vay 29, 923. ,457,270

J. RIEDER COMBINED TRUCK AND TRACTOR Filed April '7, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l may 29, w23. 3,457,270

J.mEDER COMBINED TRUCK AND TRACTOR Filed April 7, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet Z a 2@ m E IS gw Patented May 22, 1923.

hil@ STATES" JOHN BIEDER, OF BURLINGAME, CALIFORNIA.

' COMBINED TRUCK AND TRACTOR.

Application led April 7, 1922. Serial Nor 550,409.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN BIEDER, a citizen of Switzerland residing at Burlingame, in the county of an Mateo and State of 6 California, have invented new and useful improvements in Combined Trucks and Tractors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in combined trucks and tractors.

' The rincipal ob'ect of this invention is to pr uce a combined vehicle which may be either employed as a tractor for the purpose of pulling implements lover rough ground or as a vehicle having a resilient sup ort and capable of being driven over hig ways.

Another object is to devise means whereby a body portion can be secured to the truck portion thereby lengthening the wheelbase and thus producing a road vehicle.

Another object is to rovide means whereq by the springs are t rown out of action when the truck is employed as a tractor.

Another object is to provide means whereby the power ma be conveniently applied to the rear whee s of the tractor or truck as desired.

Other objects and advantages will be apao' parent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate lik parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my tractor,

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof,

Fig. 3 is a front elevation similar to Figure 2, but showing the springs in operative position,

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the driving gear for the tractor,

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of my tractor converted into a truck, and

Fig. 6 illustrates the dierential of the truck.

. In the accompanying drawings wherein for the urpose of illustratiom is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the 50 numeral 6 designates the frame of the truck,

y the numeral 7 an en ine mounted thereon, this engine may be o any well-known type such as the internal combustion en 'ne. The numeral 8 designates the usual ra iator and 9 afuel tank. A front axle 11 is secured beneath the frame 6 as shown in Figure 2 and has secured thereto springs 12 and 13. The usual steering wheels 14 and 16 are mount ed upon the axle 11. Steering of these wheels is accomplished through the medium of the usual steering wheel 1T and the steering rod 18. At 19 I have shown a rear wheel of'large diameter such as is commonly used in propelling a vehicle over a` rough surface. These rear wheels are mounted on a shaft j ournaled in 'ournal boxes 22 mounted upon a frame 6. gear case 23 is mounted on the shaft 21 and isy adapted to house a gear 24 which gear in turn meshes, with a worm 26 secured on the engine shaft 27. 70 This engine shaft terminates in a portion 28 the function of which will be later described. A seat 29 is provided fior the driver'and is of the usual construction.

At 31 and 32 (see Fig. 2) I have'shown links secured to the frame 6 and adapted to connect as at 33 and 34 to the axle 11. Through this connection I eliminate the action of the springs 12 and P13 while the device is being used as a truck. The links 31 and 32 are-swung up against the frame when not in use and arev out of viewy as shown in Figure 3.

By now referring to Figure 5 it will be noted that the driving wheels 19 shown in Figure 1 have been removed and that an additional frame 36 has been bolted as at 37, 38 and 39 to the frame 6. This additional frame carries va rear axle 41 uponl which is mounted the usual rear wheels42 supported as by springs 43'to the underside of the frame 36. A di'ferential housing 44 is mounted upon the rear axle 41 as shown in Figure 6 within which is the usual master gear 46 and a spur gear 47. This spur gear is attached to a shaft 48 which extends forwardly and is connected through a universal joint to the end 28 of the engine shaft 27.

The operation of my device is as follows Y w AssumingV that the parts are arranged as shown in Figure 1- the same willbe functioning as a tractor at .which time the links 21 and 22 vwill besecured to the front axle 11 thereby making a rigid structure of the 105? same. hen it is deslred to convert the tractor into a road vehicle the front wheels are changed for those having rubber tires and the frame 36 is secured on the frame 6 after which the wheels 19 ofthe tractor are '110 removed `troni the shaft 21 and the universal joint 49 is connected to the end 48 of the engine shaft 2T. lWhen this conversion is mede the geur ratio is automatically changed from that of the worin drive for the tractor to that of the dili'erential gear drive of the truck it being understood ot' course that the usuel shift gears are employed for further variations in gear ratio.

it is to be understood that, the form of my invention, herewith shown and described is to he taken as a preferred exemple of the same. and. that various changes in the shape, lsize and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing; from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the suhjoined claim.

meiner@ Having thus described my invention, @linnnin e device of the character described, the combination of a. treictor, having e frame, an axle mounted below seid frame, springs secured to said freine end seid axle, links pivoted to saidfmine, and adapted to have their opposite ends removably pivoted to said exie the pivotal connections of said inks to seid freine being on an angle of 90 with respectto the ivotel connection of said links to seid an e for the purpose of causing said springs to be inoperative in all directions during the period of connection of said links to said axle.

In testimony whereof I, atx my signature.

JOHN REDER. 

